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Is Your Child Ready for Preschool?

Is Your Child Ready for Preschool?What is the right age to start your child in preschool in Omaha and Elkhorn, NE?  You may worry about starting him too early when he’s not quite ready to grasp all of the new concepts that are introduced in a more structured, quality childcare setting. Or on the other hand, you worry about starting him to late and not giving him enough time to develop the skills necessary to succeed in Kindergarten.

If this decision proves to be difficult for you, you’re not alone. Parents seem to be strategically planning when to start their child in Preschool more and more these days. Certain childcare centers have cutoff birthdates for enrollment that can cause parents to worry about getting their child in to Preschool early. Other studies show that there are benefits to holding a child back to “buy another year” of maturity. This is so common, in fact, that it’s become popular in many parts of the country to have your child start school as late as possible. With a world full of articles and studies with sometimes conflicting results, how do you know what is best for your child?

The world of daycare and preschool isn’t always immune to trends, and the issue of holding them back intentionally to help them gain a competitive advantage is very trendy right now. But just like any trend, this one isn’t really proven to be as successful as parents may hope. At Premier Academy our preschool team can help you sweep aside the myths about early childhood education, and focus on the most important thing: Your child. The best way to answer the question of when your child should start Preschool is; when they are ready!

Signs That Your Child is Ready for School

Knowing when your child is ready to start school might feel like a daunting task, especially if you are not familiar with what skills and traits will make him successful in that environment. Don’t worry, Premier Academy is determined to provide the best childcare for preparing your child for Kindergarten. Here are some signs that your child is ready for our preschool program in Omaha or Elkhorn.

  • Is he comfortable working on art projects or looking at books on his own for a few minutes at a time? Can he focus on a task for short periods of time?
  • Basic skills.Can she (more or less) take care of washing her hands, eating, and the majority of her potty needs? Does she communicate her needs to you?
  • Has she spent time being watched by grandparents and/or other responsible adults? Is she comfortable being away from parents for a period of time?
  • Does he participate well with other children, not just playing, but in structured settings?
  • Predictability. Does she have a somewhat regularly scheduled day? Like eating, napping, playing at around the same time every day? Does she handle moving on to new activities well?
  • Can she handle the demands of the Preschool you’re considering with the amount of napping and activity she’ll get there?
  • Are the classroom size and the specific teacher a good match for your child?
  • YOUR preference.Would it work best for your family for him to go to preschool?

In the end, there is no perfect formula to decide when your child is ready for school. The best thing to do is assess your child based on the qualities listed above and make a decision that feels right to you and your family.  The staff at Premier Academy is here to offer expert advice about your child’s school readiness or any other area of concern. Come see us today!

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Infant Sign Language

Infant Sign LanguageAre there benefits to teaching your child baby sign language? Although some studies point to increased intellectual development, the primary benefit of using baby sign language is decreased frustration for both you, your daycare provider, and your baby. Babies can use sign language to communicate their wants and needs long before they begin using words. Premier Academy daycare introduces infants to sign language around eight months old.

Children who can express themselves are more likely to feel happier and more confident. Infants who are taught signs have fewer episodes of crying or temper tantrums. Parents also report feeling more confident because they have a better understanding of how to respond to their babies.

Some parents and childcare teachers have expressed concern that teaching infant sign language may hinder verbal language development. Research has shown the opposite to be true. Studies find that children who have been taught sign language may be a step ahead of children whose parents only encouraged vocal communication. Learning sign language may make other types of communication easier for your child to learn.

Best of all, teaching sign language to babies is easy!

Infant Sign Language Tips

  • Start small. Do some research on sign language books or websites to learn the basics. Your child’squality childcare center will be able to provide you with more information about the best signs to start with. Choose signs for words that will be used frequently by your baby, such as please, more, ball, or drink. To start, only teach your child three to five words.
  • Use signs during normal everyday routines and activities. Saying the word as you make the sign will help your baby learn sign language. For example, if your baby reaches for more food, say “more” while making the sign with your hands. Then give your baby their food as reinforcement. Consistently make this sign every time your baby asks for more food. Be sure to give lots of encouragement when your baby makes a sign independently. Say, “You did it! You told me you want more!”
  • Allow your baby to set the pace and progress slowly. As your baby masters initial signs, you can add a few more. Remember, though, your goal isn’t to make your child fluent in sign language so much as providing another way to communicate until verbal skills develop. Stick with basic signs for words that your child uses every day and introduce only a couple at a time. Premier Academy daycare is dedicated to being the best childcare for facilitating amazing communication skills, and social and emotional growth for your infant.
  • Keep it fun. Be sure to keep lessons brief and fun. The point of teaching sign language is to reduce frustration, simplify communication, and connect with your baby in a meaningful way.

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Understanding Quality Childcare

Understanding Quality ChildcareThese days, parents have so many different options when it comes to childcare. Parents can choose from childcare centers, home care providers, nannies, non-profit programs, state-funded programs, and so many others. There is a variety of titles for these services, including childcare, daycare, preschool, or early childhood education. Are these terms interchangeable? And how do they differ in terms of quality?

All of the options provide childcare, but saying “early childhood education” gives the impression of an additional educational component beyond basic care. High-quality care comes in many forms and under many terms. A program’s use of the term “early childhood education” doesn’t necessarily guarantee a high-quality program any more than “daycare” implies a lack thereof.

Regardless of what the organization is called, high-quality early education begins with some basic elements that children need to thrive. Children need and deserve teachers who understand them and treat them with kindness and respect. Families should feel that they are partners in their children’s care, who are wholly involved in the decision-making process. You will find all of this and more at Premier Academy!

Importance of Early Childhood Education

We see more and more in early education, the introduction of teaching methods and content designed for elementary-age children to the early childhood classroom. Studies about early education and child development have found that this could actually be extremely damaging to the growth and development of young children. The best childcare curriculum is based on a complete understanding of how young children learn – through engaging, hands-on experiences within a setting of comfort and trust.

Early childhood curriculum needs to take into account all developmental areas, including social-emotional, physical, cognitive, and language development.

Along with this, early childhood programs can and should address academic topics, such as early math, literacy, and science. The challenge lies in teaching these skills in a way that respects how younger children learn. When learning is introduced through a hands-on, playful, engaging curriculum with kind and nurturing teachers, children gain confidence and develop a lifelong love of learning. They enter kindergarten with “ready to learn” skills, such as being able to ask and answer questions, wait for a turn, follow directions, and work cooperatively with peers. Some children enter kindergarten already reading; others need more time. The point is that each child is offered a rich feast of learning opportunities and allowed to grow at his or her own pace.

Great early childhood development and care goes by many names. The difference between a quality early education setting and a mediocre one is not the location or the name. Good organizations hire and retain good teachers, are committed to training and developing their teachers, and focus on respect for children and families.

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Teaching Healthy Eating Habits and Positive Body Image

Teaching Healthy Eating Habits and Positive Body ImagePremier Academy knows weight and body image are extremely sensitive topics to discuss with your children. It is our goal as parents and as daycare teachers to teach healthy eating practices while also contributing to making sure our children have a positive body image. This can sometimes be tricky. We know we need to start young and set the stage for healthy lifetime habits early.

Children Model Eating Habits After Us

If parents and childcare providers have healthy eating habits, children are more likely to follow along. On the flip side, if children see adults eating unhealthy food, they are more likely to emulate that behavior. You can be good role models for a healthy lifestyle by building family nutrition and fitness into your family’s day and your quality childcare provider’s day on a regular basis. Can we share meals together – lunch or dinner – at least four days per week? Are there ways we can exercise together, for example, swimming, walking or bike rides to promote healthy exercise habits?

Be careful about the messages you may be sending to children about food and eating when you discuss/model healthy eating habits. One thing you may not know; it’s not the best practice for you to require children to eat everything on their plate at mealtime. There are different opinions on this, but some health educators encourage children to try one bite of everything, never pushing or forcing. Others advocate for offering children a favorite food and a new food together so they will have at least one healthy food option that they like.

Try to avoid labeling different foods as “bad” or “unhealthy”. This can be confusing to children when they then see a beloved caregiver or friend eating that food. You can say that healthy eating refers to the whole of what we eat, and not one specific food or foods which are “bad” for you. Premier Academy strives to be the best childcare by taking the approach of encouraging healthier snacks instead of singling out “bad” foods.

KidsHealth.org offers “Go, Slow, and Whoa!” as another approach to healthy eating:

  • “Go” foods are the healthiest options for kids and can be eaten almost anytime
  • “Slow” foods are those you can eat sometimes but not every day
  • “Whoa” foods should make you think, “Wait, should my child eat that?” These are the least nutritious and should only be eaten occasionally.

Healthy Habits for Youngsters

  • Infants: With infants, we pay attention to their cues, and stop feeding them when they indicate they are finished by turning away or refusing the breast, bottle or spoon. Be careful what food choices you make for your baby. It is recommended to wait until a child is four months old or later to start introducing solid foods. And if the child’s first sold foods are desserts or fruits, they can develop a preference for sweets over other foods.
  • Toddlers and Preschoolers: With toddler and preschool children, provide healthy snacks and beverages such as water. Eating slowly together as a family is a good practice. Never require children to eat when they are not hungry. Also, avoid using food or lack of food as a reward or punishment. If you notice that your child is developing eating issues, they should be discussed with your pediatrician right away.

Talking to Older Children about Healthy Habits and Positive Body Image

Children are constantly immersed in images and talk of the “ideal” body. And yet we all know genetics gives each of us a unique body type, few of which fall into the “ideal” category.

With tweens and teens, subtle and not so subtle messages about weight and body type have an impact. These body images come from people, television, magazines, social media, etc. If your son or daughter opens up the subject, use it as an opportunity to communicate that very few people look like models; models also feel stress about their bodies; and being really skinny isn’t always a good thing.

If your child says “I’m too fat” rather than jumping to “No, you’re not” right away, ask “What makes you think that?” to try to keep the conversation open and keep your child talking about this issue. It’s important to know how to communicate with your child. Spend time listening to him or her. Express your feelings about the topic, but rather than negating your child’s feelings, try saying, “Here’s what I think. . . ” so it feels more like your personal thoughts than a judgment on your child. At the same time, if you ever suspect an eating disorder, talk right away to your pediatrician to find resources.

Talking about weight, body image and health can be sensitive, but it is also very worthwhile to keep the topic on the table and encourage children to talk about what they think and feel. Remember that feelings about this body image start early so be thoughtful about the impact of your words and actions in your child’s life.

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The Importance of Outdoor Play

Child Development through Structured & Unstructured Play

Structured play is the kind of play where there is typically an adult leader and a specific, planned way in which the play will go. For example, organized sports or dance classes are structured play. Premier Academy offers an array of structured indoor activities through various companies in the community. Playing a board game with specific rules and directions with an adult playing or looking on is also an example of structured play. Your child can benefit from finding the right structured play activities but it should be complemented with opportunities for unstructured play. These are the types of activities that are typically child-directed with no set goals or direction.

The Benefits of Unstructured Play for Kids

Why is unstructured outdoor play important? There are so many benefits. A few are below:

  • Children need more physical activity. Many sources agree that today’s children are too sedentary. In addition to 20 – 30 minutes of daily structured physical activity, children should get at least 60 minutes of unstructured physical activity daily, and more is even better. Premier Academy is dedicated to providing the best childcare and quality childcare. In order to achieve this, we provide an amazing indoor gym and huge outdoor play area so that all of our kids get their necessary large motor play time.
  • Unstructured outdoor play offers opportunities to develop executive function skills. Executive function skills have been compared to an air traffic control system in each of our bodies. These essential life skills help us remember information, filter out distractions, switch gears when needed, and sustain focus over time (Harvard University Center on the Developing Child, 2015). Among the many benefits of imaginary play, one is helping children develop these executive function skills. Children develop rules for the imaginary scenarios they create, remember and try out complex ideas, apply the rules to the scenarios as they go along, and regulate each other’s behavior. Given the time, children can extend imaginary play for hours.
  • Children who play outdoors regularly are less likely to be nearsighted (Shephard, 2015). Sunshine and natural light help children have better distance vision.
  • Social skills are enhanced. There are many different skills children learn from unstructured activities. Children who have opportunities to work together with their childcare peers towards a goal learn friendship skills such as teamwork, problem-solving, care and cooperation, all critical skills for school and life.

Younger Children and Unstructured Outdoor Play

Younger children need closer supervision than school-agers. You can help them get started by asking them what they could do with a basket of smooth stones or a net bag filled with balls of varying sizes. Then step back, keep them in view, but let the play unfold and resist the urge to intervene too much. (Note: children also benefit greatly by having you engage in play with them; but occasionally let them figure out the direction of the play with their peers without much adult intervention). Consider loose parts for a variety of open-ended play possibilities. Examples of loose parts include natural items like sticks and stones of varying sizes, sand, water, small logs, and leaves and/or man-made items like hula hoops, balls, jump ropes, stepping stones, trikes, wheelbarrows, buckets, tubes, large blocks, or sifters. The possibilities are endless with these kinds of materials.

Children want to play outside because it is fun. That is enough of a reason to offer it. Look for ways to build unstructured outdoor play into your child’s week with many potential benefits for your child.

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